Oklahoma is among three states under consideration, but the location, governing structure and cost of a move remain unsettled.
OKLAHOMA CITY — A nearly century-old Pennsylvania military college is considering moving to Oklahoma, although no specific location, governing arrangement or relocation cost has been identified.
Oklahoma is one of three states being considered as a potential new home for Valley Forge Military College, lawmakers were told Tuesday during a Senate interim study requested by Sen. Kelly Hines, R-Oklahoma City.
The two-year college has about 100 students and offers associate degrees alongside military education and leadership training. Its Army ROTC Early Commissioning Program allows qualified cadets to become second lieutenants after two years.
Hines, a retired Army colonel, said bringing the college to Oklahoma would give students another route into military service and help develop future military leaders in the state.
John English, chairman of the Valley Forge Military Foundation and an Oklahoma native, said Oklahoma is at or near the top of the college’s relocation list. He said the goal would be to connect the college with Oklahoma’s higher education system without competing with existing colleges and universities.
The college would instead serve largely as a pathway to four-year institutions, English said. College officials told lawmakers that about 98% of its graduates continue toward bachelor’s degrees.
Details remain unresolved
Representatives of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education discussed possible ways to incorporate the college into the state’s higher education system, according to a Senate account of the study. No specific institution or governing arrangement was announced.
Dennis Pruitt of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber said locations in the Oklahoma City area could accommodate the college. No particular site was identified.
Maj. Gen. Thomas Mancino, adjutant general for Oklahoma, said the proposal could complement the state’s military installations and its ties to the armed forces.
The Senate release did not identify the other states under consideration, estimate relocation costs or indicate whether the college would seek state funding or other public support.
Valley Forge Military College remains open and enrolling students in Wayne, Pennsylvania. The separately governed Valley Forge Military Academy, a secondary school that shared the campus, closed in May.
College leaders are expected to decide whether and where to move within the coming months.
